Inscribe the Word * October Scripture Writing Plan
This past week, I lived through my first real natural disaster. Hurricane Florence visited our home in eastern North Carolina and brought rain, floods, wind, tornadoes, and destruction. It hung around for a few days and in its wake left a disaster in the Carolinas.
A tree fell in our backyard narrowly missing my mother’s room. The root system, to put things in perspective, was a head taller than my husband who is 6’5”.
In the backyard, we lost a large tree that narrowly missed our home. Two ceilings got soaked with water due to the roofing shingles flying off. One ceiling collapsed, and we were without power for a week. We were lucky.
Many families completely lost their homes due to flooding. Entire streets have been condemned forcing families to evacuate due to the hazardous conditions. Trees are through roofs, neighborhoods are a mess, and a few businesses will not be able to recover.
It has been a horrible week.
But it has also been a wonderful week.
Flooding down our block during the storm. Thank the Lord it subsided, we know many whose homes are under water.
I was sitting up late one night during the blackout thinking about the beautiful people blessing those displaced by Florence. I recalled the words of Fred Rogers.
“When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.” - Fred Rogers
Those words brought me such comfort. I drove past a local church and saw a line of cars waiting for dinner as the folks inside of them escaped the disaster of Hurrican Florence, and waited for a hot meal provided by beautiful volunteers.
During and after the storm, our dearest friends visited our home; helping to patch leaking roofs, bring Diet Cokes, and take my son for a much-needed play date with his BFF.
One of my best friends and a photographer I often use at A Symphony of Praise cooked dinner in a blackout for his neighbors who didn’t know how to use a grill and then brought some over to our house for fellowship and laughs around the table lit by candlelight.
These, and so many more are the helpers. These are the people that keep life going when it seems to be falling apart. These are the hands and feet of Jesus. These are the ones that patched roofs, cut up fallen trees, cooked meals, delivered meals, checked on homes, lent generators, and gave much-needed hugs.
Yes, we pray for our brothers and sisters in need, but let us go one step further .... be the hands and feet of Jesus. Let's not "do church," let us "be the church." When they are without clothes, clothe them. Without food, make a meal. Without shelter, invite them into your home. Without a ride to church, pick them up. (Matthew 25:36-40)
It isn’t hard to find the helpers if you look for them, and it isn’t hard to be a helper if you try. I have seen both in this tragedy, and it is a beautiful thing.
OCTOBER 2018 INSCRIBE THE WORD
I will be writing more about the things God has shown me through this hurricane, but for now, I need to apologize that we will not have a NEW Inscribe the Word plan for October due to the damage in my home and spotty internet access. I work from home, and because of the Hurricane, it is going to take us a few weeks to get up and running like normal.
I thank you for your understanding and hope that you will be able to use one of these Writing Plans this October 2018. Or you can access all of our Inscribe the Word Scripture Writing plans HERE.
For One Year of Scripture Writing Plans, CLICK HERE for our Inscribe the Word Journal.